Astronomical price. Extremely conspicuous. Difficult to wear for people with glasses. Limited use right now. Short battery life.

Bottom Line

Version 2.0 of the Google Glass Explorer Edition has limitless potential, although there still isn't much you can do with it just yet.

You can't put a price on potential. Or maybe you can. How does $1,500 sound? That's the price you'll pay for Version 2.0 of the Google Glass Explorer Edition, assuming you get an invite to buy it in the first place. Google Glass is arguably the most exciting piece of wearable tech currently available, but that's largely based on what it could do in the future rather than what it does right now. Developers and enthusiasts with deep pockets will find a lot to like here, but everyone else should wait for the consumer edition–and keep your fingers crossed for a much lower price tag.

(Editors' Note: Google Glass is available for sale to the general public for one day, April 15, 2014. Otherwise, you need to apply, as outlined below.)

AvailabilityGetting Glass isn't easy. First you need to apply to become a Google Glass Explorer. Then, once you sign up for a spot, it's really just a waiting game. If you're chosen to become an Explorer, then you face an even harder step: Shelling out $1,500 (plus tax!) for Google Glass.

Now, I understand this isn't a consumer product. But I just can't wrap my mind around that price. $1,500 can buy a brand new iMac—with money left to spare. Here, $1,500 gets you Google Glass, a pair of clip-on shades, and a mono earbud. It's probably the most expensive pair of glasses you'll ever buy.

Google is likely to release a consumer-focused pair of Glass some time later this year, which will hopefully be available on a much wider scale and sport a more consumer-friendly price tag. As it stands, the Explorer program and the astronomical price of Google Glass really limits its reach.

Design and FitIf you manage to become an Explorer and pony up the dough, the first rule about Google Glass is that everyone will know you are wearing Google Glass. Simply put, there is no mistaking Glass for an ordinary pair of glasses—even if you pay an additional $225 for one of four traditional-looking frame accessories.

The default setup has a decidedly futuristic look. It's a thin, titanium frame with adjustable plastic nosepads that anchor it against the bridge of your nose. And despite the name of the product, there isn't any actual glass here—Google Glass does not have lenses. The left side is just a plain strip of frame, while the right arm holds all of the hardware. At the front, you'll find the unit that houses the display-projecting prism, as well as a 5-megapixel camera and a touch-sensitive control panel. The back is home to the battery as well as a bone-conduction speaker.

Because all of the hardware is located on the right side of the unit, it makes Glass feel a bit lopsided to wear. It fit my head comfortably, but no matter how much time I spent trying to adjust it, it always looked slightly crooked. But given the whole Terminator 2 vibe, that's the last thing people are likely to notice. And trust me, people will notice you.

Wearing Glass in Manhattan is similar to walking a really cute dog: People will stop you as you are walking down the street and want to touch it or talk about it. They ask you things like: "How do you like it?," "How did you get it?," "Can I try it on?," "Are you recording me right now?" and, most strangely, "So can you, like, see my skeleton?" So while there are some misconceptions about what Google Glass can and cannot do (like X-ray vision), I encountered no shortage of people who wanted to talk about it.

And while I'm not crazy about the super-conspicuous look of Google Glass in general, these unprompted sidewalk conversations made me feel even more uncomfortable about wearing it. If you're the type of person who doesn't like to draw a lot of attention to yourself, you should probably stay away from Google Glass entirely.

Another group of people who might want to think twice about Glass are those that wear prescription glasses (which is a group that I have long been a member of). Google seems to think you can simply fit Glass on top of your regular pair of frames. And you can, but not comfortably. My somewhat large, round frames made it nearly impossible to see the entire heads-up display on Glass, which is difficult to do even when you're not wearing glasses. And without glasses, my vision isn't good enough to see the display clearly. As mentioned, Google now offers relatively stylish frames you can attach to Glass, which can then be outfitted with prescription lenses, but that will drive the cost of the device up even higher.

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About the Author

Alex Colon is the managing editor of PCMag's consumer electronics team. He previously covered mobile technology for PCMag and Gigaom.
Though he does the majority of his reading and writing on various digital displays, Alex still loves to sit down with a good, old-fashioned, paper and ink book in his free time. (Not that there's anything wrong wit... See Full Bio

Google Glass Explorer Edition V...

Google Glass Explorer Edition Version 2.0

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